


Practice Makes Perfect

by life_not_knife



Category: EXO (Band), SHINee
Genre: Fluff, M/M, Slice of Life, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-18
Updated: 2015-10-18
Packaged: 2018-04-26 23:59:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,556
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5025733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/life_not_knife/pseuds/life_not_knife
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>'SM never really closes because there are always people like him who need to practice over and over.'</p>
            </blockquote>





	Practice Makes Perfect

**Author's Note:**

> This is another of my older one shots that I posted on Livejournal (Nov 2014) before, I am just uploading it here :)
> 
> I think this is one of the very first Taekai I wrote :)
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-  
  
Jongin's feet hurt. They're sore from being pressed and pushed and exerted beyond their usual use as he spins and crouches on the floor in his end pose.  
  
Yeah, they hurt a lot but that's the point in all of this. He is in the practice room after hours, when the rest of his members are sleeping and SM is pretty much closed for the night. Although he knows, SM never really closes because there are always people like him who need to practice over and over. There are people like Jonghyun hyung who suffer from insomnia and need some composition time to waste away the hours until daylight. Yeah, SM never closes and yet he feels strangely alone at the dead of night, panting on the practice room floor as he recharges to go again.  
  
Times like this, he thinks of Taemin. His best friend through their trainee years, they would sleep, eat and dance on this very floor. They would keep each other going and although it was tough, just like it is now, it wouldn't feel lonely. In fact, he used to cherish those times when they could dance to whatever they pleased, when they could go back to their homes at any time they liked because their parents understood that they were practising. There were no managers watching their every move and keeping them in check.  
  
Now, Jongin isn't complaining about being a member of EXO or becoming an idol. It has been his dream and his goal since he could remember and he loves it. He loves the rush of the stage, the endless support from his fans and he loves each of his members because he knows that they understand. They understand the struggles, sacrifices and hard work that it took them to get where they are today.  
  
No, he isn't complaining, but he is reminiscing. He longs for some semblances of the past and he wishes he could just revisit them once in a while, to remember what they felt like.  
  
“Hey – I've been calling you.” He hears a voice from the doorway and he doesn't even turn around because he knows who the voice belongs to and he can see the boy's lithe frame in the mirror as he walks towards him.  
  
“Oh sorry – how did you know I was here?” Jongin asks and finally turns his head to look at his best friend.  
  
“You had been active online like half an hour ago, so I called...you didn't answer and so I knew where you would be.” Taemin says as he finally sits down beside the younger boy and bumps their shoulders together in a fond manner. He sees Jongin give a small smile before looking down at the floor again.  
  
“So...you gonna tell me what's up? Or do I have to claw it out of you?” Taemin asks with familiarity and genuine concern in his voice.  
  
Jongin doesn't even try and lie, because he knows that the older boy knows him better than anyone.  
  
“I needed some extra practice, the comeback is soon y'know...in about three weeks.” Jongin speaks and Taemin just nods his head in understanding and waits for him to continue. “Now my feet are killing me and I was just taking a break. Thinking.” Jongin finishes with a sad smile.  
  
“You know you are amazing right? I tell you all the time but it's like you don't believe me. You keep pushing and pushing yourself so hard. Too hard. I know how your brain works Jongin-ah, I used to be the same. Practising until early hours, until I was dead on my feet. Alone and wishing that you were right there with me, like the old days. Then I learned that if I push myself too hard, there will be nothing left of me to give. There is no good striving for perfection if there is only an empty shell left there dancing on point in the end. If there is no soul, life and love for the song your dancing to, then you might as well just give up now.” Taemin says bluntly. He is straight to the point when it comes to Jongin. There is no need to beat around the bush and he has told this to his best friend on multiple occasions already.  
  
That is why Taemin is taken back a little when he hears Jongin speak  
  
“I had no idea...that you felt like that hyung.” He says with a little sadness in his voice.  
  
“What do you mean? I tell you all the time.” Taemin asks, puzzled.  
  
“I mean the part about feeling lonely and wishing for the old days.” 'wishing I was there' Jongin adds in his head but leaves it unspoken.  
  
“Oh, well....yeah. I did.” Taemin admits with a small and genuine smile as he looks dead into the younger boy's eyes.  
  
“I-I'm sorry...” Jongin mumbles whilst looking down at his hands and playing with the lines on the wood grain floor.  
  
“What? Why are you sorry?” Taemin asks with sympathy in his voice. A voice that is kind of stern because Jongin should never have to apologize to him, ever.  
  
“That I wasn't there for you when you were lonely. I was still just a trainee at the time, I could have made more time to support you and help you.” Jongin says as he swallows a lump in his throat.  
  
“Don't say that Jongin-ah. We both know that at the time it was impossible. I was working crazy hours and you needed all the practice time you could get so that you were able to debut. Often I was in foreign practice rooms – Japan, US, China. You couldn't possibly have been there. I guess, you were always there though...” Taemin trails off, his voice cracking a little as he lifts one of the unopened water bottles from the floor. “...in the time we spent together in here, those memories didn't just disappear Jongin, they were what kept me going through all of the difficult times. The thought that one day, you would debut and we could stand on the same stage together.” Taemin gives a smile and a light pink dusts his cheeks that he will deny to anybody. Though he doesn't need to because being vulnerable around Jongin is fine. His best friend will never pass along any of their secrets.  
  
There is a short silence that is neither comfortable or awkward, it sits somewhere in between and no words can describe it.  
  
“Come on, shoes off.” Taemin finally speaks and cracks the strange atmosphere.  
  
“What? Why?” Jongin asks sceptically – the last time Taemin said that sentence it ended up in Jongin rolling and squirming around as his hyung tickled him into giving up the last piece of chicken.  
  
Taemin chuckles as he also remembers “Relax, you said your feet hurt. I'll give you a massage, I think you have done enough dancing for now.” Taemin speaks softly, concern creasing his forehead.  
  
Jongin leans forward and uses his right thumb to brush away the frown from his best friend's face before he begins taking off his hi-tops.  
  
Taemin feels a familiar squeezing inside of him and he knows what it is. It is love. He has been in love with Kim Jongin for as long as he can remember. He isn't sure when a simple friendship turned into more for him, but all he knows is that he loves this boy with all of his heart. Unfortunately though, there isn't really anything he can do about it. It seems that Jongin doesn't feel the same and he isn't about to lose his friendship over finding out for sure. He is happy like this, that he can watch Jongin grow into a handsome young man, stay by his side and watch over him. Sometimes it drives him insane and others he is completely content.  
  
He is pulled out of his daydream by a heavy weight in his lap. The younger boy has removed his shoes and placed his socked feet into his lap with a 'thunk.'  
  
“Earth to Taemin...” he hears Jongin say with an amused voice.  
  
“Shut up, do you want a massage or not?” Taemin askes with a raised brow and Jongin closes his lips and looks innocently at the other, as if he had never even said anything. “That's what I thought.” Taemin mumbles as he brings his thumbs to the centre of his best friends left foot. What he doesn't expect though, is for the younger boy to jump out of his lap with a squeak  
“What's wrong? Did I hurt you? Are they that painful??? You should see the doctor...” Taemin begins to ramble in a panic before he notices the grin on the others face.  
  
“No, no...I'm just...it tickles so much.” Jongin replies with a soft smile, he finds it pretty funny that Taemin is so concerned.  
  
“Yah! Don't make me worry like that. Why didn't you tell me that it tickles when you get foot masssages?” Taemin grumbles and glares at his best friend.  
  
“I didn't know, honest Taemin-ah, I had no idea. I've never had one before.” Jongin speaks, still laughing slightly but trying to be serious and plead the innocent.  
  
“Seriously?” Taemin asks and when he receives and innocent glance from the other, he sighs. “Well, I guess tickling isn't going to help relax your tired feet. What about your legs? You ticklish there too?” The older male asks.  
  
“Don't think so...” Jongin trails off before he feels Taemin's soft hands picking up his legs and laying them across his lap.  
  
“Come closer so your knees are here” Taemin gestures and the younger follows his hyung's instructions.  
  
Soon, the eldest is working magic across Jongin's calves, shins and down to his ankles. Leaving the younger boy feeling boneless from the knees down. His upper body is laid flat on the practice room floor, his eyes closed and he hums in contentment as he feels the tension washing away.  
  
“Hyung, you're really good. Have you done this before?” Jongin inquires lazily.  
  
“No, but Kibum hyung did it for me a few times. Though he was a lot harder and it hurt a little, since I needed him to work out all the kinks rather than to relax.” Taemin speaks, his eyes looking down at Jongin's body and appreciating every curve and line of the younger boy. His hands move on autopilot as he pushes his palms up to Jongin's knees and then drags them tightly down his calf muscle.  
“Ah” Jongin lets out a strangled noise from the back of his throat.  
  
“Sorry, did I hurt you?” Taemin asks in a worry.  
  
“N-no, it feels good.” The younger answers with a sheepish smile. Taemin simply hums and continues.  
  
They sit there for a long while, Jongin's back is pressed into the cold surface of the floor and he feels electric tingles running up his spine every time Taemin rubs over his knee and into the bottom of his thigh. Taemin becomes a little bolder when he hears the pleasant murmur leave his friends lips as he presses higher towards the middle of his thigh.  
  
When the eldest boy presses firmly into Jongin's upper thigh with his thumbs and wraps his hands around the girth of strong muscle, a long moan leaves the youngster's lips involuntarily.  
  
Taemin stops abruptly and pulls back. Those noises were doing something to him that just can't happen right now, not in this situation with Jongin's legs securely placed across his crotch. The younger of the two lays on the floor for a little longer before he realises that Taemin seems to have finished. Abruptly, but still finished.  
  
“Ah-uh, th-thanks hyung.” Jongin says and offers a small smile; he feels awkward but he isn't sure why. When he receives no response from Taemin, he looks up from his lap and into his best friend's eyes. There is something swimming behind them and Jongin feels himself swallowing a lump in his throat.  
  
Taemin is as still as a statue and doesn't break the eye contact. Jongin should feel weird, or scared or odd, but he finds that his hyung's eyes seem to draw him in. Before he can register what he is doing, he leans forward until his lips are ghosting over Taemin's, he waits a beat for the other to pull away and is surprised when he doesn't. He wants to close that gap, it would be so simple to lean over and press his full lips flush against Taemin's pink ones and then he registers what he is thinking and pulls back.  
  
Why did he almost kiss his best friend? What the hell is wrong with him?  
  
“I-I should go. Go home Jongin, don't dance any more tonight, you have a radio show tomorrow. Goodnight.” Taemin says in a steady voice; there is a tightness to his words that makes Jongin wince a little. Taemin's words finally break through the younger boy's thoughts as he pats him on the shoulder before walking out of the practice room.  
  
“Fuck” Jongin breathes into the heavy air of the practice room once he no longer hears footsteps down the hall outside.  
  
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-  
  
The next day – no, the next week, Jongin can't focus properly. He does his work and he is happy for the distraction from his thoughts. However, once the music stops and the camera's are off, he sees the others sleeping or playing around and he can't seem to move his mind away from that moment in the practice room. He figures that the look on his face must be a dead giveaway because Kyungsoo nudges his shoulder in the van and asks for the fifteenth time that week if he is okay. He shrugs and gives a small grumble of 'yes' and he isn't really lying. He is okay, just...distracted. He doesn't know how he really feels and that is pretty frustrating. He lets his head fall on Kyungsoo's shoulder and smiles a little when the older boy runs his fingers soothingly through his hair. Any other time, and he would have fallen asleep like that, but his mind was still whirling and sleep was being steadily chased away.  
  
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-  
  
“You look like shit” is the first thing his hyung says to him when he enters the familiar dorm.  
  
“Can't sleep” Jongin just responds as he looks back at Jonghyun with a shrug of his shoulders. He doesn't need to explain himself to Jonghyun because he knows exactly what insomnia is like.  
  
“You need some meds? I can get manager hyung to take you to the doctor or something?” Jonghyun offers with a firm hand on his shoulder.  
  
“It's okay. I just have a lot on my mind. I will be able to sleep once it gets sorted out. That's why I'm here actually. How long did you say Taemin hyung would be?” Jongin muses out loud as he flops onto the black sofa.  
  
“We left blue night together but he had to pick up some clothes for tomorrows show, he shouldn't be long.” Jonghyun says again as he sits down next to Jongin and offers him a can of coffee. The younger dismisses it with a wave of his hand and a scrunched up face; he isn't a coffee person.  
  
“So, you two had a fight or something? I didn't think anything could break the infamous Taekai.” Jonghyun chuckles but the seriousness is still there.  
  
“Not really...kinda...I don't know.” Jongin mumbles as he looks down at his hands in his lap.  
  
“Well, I figured you must have done something, when I saw him come home early morning last week mumbling about 'stupid Jongin.' ” Jonghyun says as he cracks open the can and crosses his legs. Jonghyun radiates confidence and he reminds him of Key a little bit like this, but there is a softness in Jonghyun's eyes. His body language says 'just make up already' but his eyes say 'I know it must be complicated and I'm here if you need me.' He loves Jonghyun hyung because he is the most understanding hyung he knows. His words are never sharp of hurtful and you can tell that he thinks everything through before he even begins to speak.  
  
“He really said that?” Jongin sighs but it is a rhetorical question.  
  
“Yeah” Jonghyun answers anyway “he didn't know I heard him though, I was sitting in the kitchen doing some radio prep and he walked past me and straight to our room.” Jonghyun added.  
  
“I...I did something....stupid?” Jongin says but it comes out like a question. Jonghyun just hums in response and waits for him to continue. “...I mean, I acted on impulse and now I don't know where I stand with him.” He finishes and he isn't really sure why he is even telling Jonghyun any of this. He came to have this conversation with Taemin.  
  
“Jongin-ah, you're a good kid. I am sure that if it was on impulse or instinct then it probably wasn't wrong. Just talk to him okay, you guys are best friends I'm sure you can work it out. Look at me and Kibum, we have been best friends for years now and we fight and fall out all the time, but no matter what, I know he is still there for me.” Jonghyun says and just as Jongin is about to respond, they both turn at the sound of the front door unlocking.  
  
“Hyung, have you seen Kibu – oh..” Taemin begins and stops in place when he sees a nervous looking Jongin sitting on their living room sofa.  
“Bummie is out but Jongin wants to talk to you.” Jonghyun says before he dismisses himself to the kitchen.  
  
“Uh- hi T-Taemin-ah, I need to talk to you...” Jongin says and realises he sounds like an idiot because Jonghyun just said that already.  
  
“Yeah, I know, uhm... let's go talk in my room.” Taemin says with a small pained expression as he walks to his and Jonghyun's shared room. Jongin follows behind at a steady distance and closes the door behind him.  
  
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-  
“So....what's up?” Taemin asks.  
  
“Seriously, we're gonna do this? Like you don't already know why I'm here Tae?” Jongin says with a stern voice.  
  
Taemin lets out an audible sigh as he runs his fingers through his bleached hair, the dark of his roots is showing through a lot and Jongin has the urge to just dye it one colour or the other. His hands itch at his side to refrain from smoothing down the rats nest of hair.  
  
“What...what do you want me to say Jongin-ah?” Taemin asks exasperatedly as he flops down to sit on the bottom of his bed.  
  
“I want you to answer me honestly” The younger boy says.  
  
“Okay shoot” Is Taemin's only response.  
  
“Why – ” he begins but hesitates before steeling himself to carry on. “...why didn't you pull away?” Jongin asks in a small voice as he feels all of the muscles constrict in his body.  
  
“Why didn't you kiss me?” The older boy asks back and Jongin thinks that Taemin isn't really playing fair since he just agreed to answer truthfully.  
  
“That's not – f” Jongin begins.  
  
“...fair?” Taemin finishes the younger's question. His gaze is hard and fixed on the bobbing of Jongin's adams apple. “What isn't fair Jongin, is  _your_ question. You  _know_ why I didn't pull away. The question is, why  _did_  you?” Taemin says, his voice is still stern and he is sick of darting around Jongin's feelings and insecurities any longer.  
  
“I...I...” he doesn't know how to answer his best friend's question but all that Taemin offers him is an impatient face and a raised eyebrow. “...I guess I just felt something in that moment, and … I wanted to...to kiss you.” the younger answers and he can't look at his hyung's reaction so he just continues to stand awkwardly by the door; staring a hole into Taemin and Jonghyun's faded blue carpet.  
  
“And do you feel like that, now?” Taemin asks, his tone still firm but a lot softer than before. Jongin doesn't respond for a moment but eventually he raises his eyes to look at Taemin and gives a small nod of the head. If it weren't for the intense atmosphere and their eyes being locked, it may have gone unnoticed. It didn't though and Taemin saw it.  
  
“Jongin-ah...” Taemin speaks in the lightest and softest voice;  _the best friend voice_  that he is used to hearing when he feels this vulnerable. The older boy gestures with his finger and a soft smile, for Jongin to come closer and the younger feels his feet moving towards him on instinct.  
  
Jongin sits pensively next to Taemin on the bed and he feels his hand being encircled in the other's. “Jonginnie, you don't have to be so afraid... ** _it's me_**. I gave you the go ahead, I didn't pull back. So...so what was it that stopped you?” The oldest boy asks in a light voice. Jongin can feel Taemin's breath hitting the end of his nose and he feels that familiar nervousness coiling in the pit of his stomach.  
  
“I was scared” he answers honestly before he looks down at their joined hands. “I...I've thought about things before...about you..a-and me...in a non-bestfriend kind of way. But this, this is the first time I have ever actually acted on it, and you didn't pull away and then I  _finally_  realised what exactly I was doing and I panicked. I...I don't even know Tae, it's so confusing.” Jongin admits and slumps his shoulders as he runs his free hand through his already dishevelled locks.  
  
Suddenly, he finds himself in Taemin's arms. The older boy has pulled him and is hugging him tightly.  
  
“I...I know it's scary and confusing … and I'm sorry. I thought, I thought you were playing with me or something. I should have known that you would never do that. I just...I felt kind of rejected, you know?” Taemin whispers into his ear. Something inside Jongin finally melts at that and the muscles in his body all relax as he lets his hyung hug him for a while.  
  
After they pull apart, Jongin speaks up.  
  
“T-Tae...I still...” he clears his throat and swallows his nerves once again “...I still want to kiss you..” Jongin says and Taemin just smiles,  ** _that smile_** , the one Jongin loves. Not the fake smile for the cameras or his polite smile around his hyungs. No, this smile is one that begins and ends in Taemin's eyes. Encompassing his face in the most serene expression and his pink lips tilted upwards only slightly. The smile in his eyes is enough to make up for the stretch of his lips.  
  
Then Jongin is leaning in again – like de ja vu – and he is closing his eyes before he slightly tilts his head to the right and their lips meet at last. Jongin smiles into the kiss and he feels as Taemin's hands leave his own to grip the sides of his chequered shirt. The oldest of the two pulls him forward so that they are sitting closer together, only a small slither of space remaining, and Jongin gasps as he feels their proximity close. Taemin takes that opportunity to deepen the kiss and the younger boy can't help letting his hands thread through his hyung's hair, a small whine emitting from his throat and being swallowed by Taemin's mouth.  
  
They do pull apart, reluctantly but in need of air. Jongin looks thoroughly ravished and Taemin smirks at the sight.  
  
“What?” Jongin mumbles; he feels scrutinised under Taemin's strong gaze and evident smirk.  
  
“Nothing” Taemin plays innocent and chuckles lightly at Jongin's confused face before he pulls them both back together to continue kissing the air out of his lungs.  
  
Jongin finds himself panting as Taemin straddles him and searches every inch of his mouth with his slick tongue. The desperation picks up and their hands begin to roam. Fingers pressing against muscles, palms flat against soft flesh and …. oh! Jongin moans when he feels Taemin rolling against him, his semi erect cock sending a shudder up his spine as they brush against each other. Jongin has seen Taemin dance, watched his body move, seen Taemin mature from a skinny young boy into a filled out and muscular young man. Nothing though, prepares him for actually being able to openly touch and explore the older boy or feeling those wonderful dance moves moving against him in tandem with his own rolls of hips. They are both moving and grinding. Thighs pressing tightly and the friction between their clothes and bodies is too much.  
  
“T-tae...please – ngh..” Jongin mumbles out but he isn't really sure what he is even saying. None the less, Taemin seems to understand and must be feeling the same need because before he can even register it, he feels skinny fingers delving into his sweats and he moans at the contact of Taemin's skin against his cock.  
  
Taemin on the other hand, is proving to be more tricky. He is still wearing those infamous white jeans that he likes these days and Jongin is cursing them in his head because the button is so damn stiff.  
  
Again, Taemin is one step ahead because he pushes Jongin's hands away before he pops open the button and pulls the younger boy's hands back towards their goal. Jongin's hand is warm against Taemin's dick, his fingers are surprisingly thick and rough but the friction is delicious.  
  
Neither of them last long, their hands slick with sweat from the two layers of clothing still covering their hands. Pre-cum is only adding to the slickness and Jongin feels himself spilling over into Taemin's hand and his boxers sooner than he would like.  
  
Jongin's grip tightens around Taemin as he comes and Taemin follows soon after. His white boxers sticky with mess and Kai's hand looking just as bad. Taemin pulls his hand away first, the elastic of Jongin's sweatpants making a thud as it snaps back against his still sensitive member. Taemin's fly is still open as Jongin removes his hand and accepts the tissues that Taemin offers him.  
  
The younger boy lets out a loud yawn and Taemin chuckles.  
  
“Want to crash with me tonight?” Taemin asks and smiles happily as Jongin nods his head and pulls him down for a cuddle.  
  
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-  
  
Jonghyun looks at the clock and realises he is going to be late. What was taking Taemin and Jongin so long anyway? He quietly knocks at the door when he hears no noise from inside. He pushes the door open and is met with the sight of Taemin and Jongin sleeping peacefully under Taemin's covers and it makes Jonghyun smile.  
  
He grabs his laptop from the desk in the corner before making his way out to the SM building. He is panting when he finally reaches the recording studio and sees Key waiting for him, coffee in hand and smiling.  
  
Jonghyun is lucky, he thinks, to have someone like Key in his life and he hopes that Taemin can be just as happy with Jongin.  
  
-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

**Author's Note:**

> I was in a Taekai mood and looking for something to read. I didn't find what I was looking for so I decided to write one instead haha. I hope you liked this, there aren't enough Taekai fics in the world so I thought I would contribute. Please comment and let me know what you thought.
> 
> Lots of love,
> 
> Xx L xX


End file.
